See Chris Fish
11-07-2010, 08:56 PM
Got to the lake around 5-ish Friday night and stopped at the tackle shop. I haven't been to the lake in months and was surprised by the new remodel. I like the new look. Waterboarded Jimmy and Whitney for a couple of minutes to get vital information for them. Found out the magic places and secret colors, grabbed a tub of nightcrawlers and headed to the campsite, good old campsite right below the cleaning station. My buddy John and some of his friend are already there. It's a bunch of guys that were at last years opener. Cool, let the fishing lies, I mean, stories begin.
Discover that our camping neighbors are Johnny, Dusty, and One-Leg. These guys KILLED it on Saturday. Well over 15trout, all big. Trolling. They were sucessful into talking some of our group to "experiencing the joy of cleaning the trout that was donated to you"!!!! LOL Always nice having people camped next to you that are friends.
Had a few beers and my buddy got his smoker going.
Little shad schools are all over the shoreline running from what looked like little bass. Great entertainment all night long. Had some dinner and crashed out at about 10-ish. Wanted to be well rested for the opener. I knew it was going to be a long day. Little did I know.
Woke to the alarm at 4:20 and started setting up the float tube. Weather was cool, no fog on water, few clouds, very slight breeze. Perfect! When the tackle shop opened up, headed in that direction to grab the World's Famous Breakfast Burrito!! What no Tapaito!!! What's this world coming to?? lol
Went back to camp and geared up for the tubin. Doned the waders and head lamp. Didn't want to get run over by a boater. Standing like a runner on blocks, watching the patrol guy, I wait for the signal. There it is!!!!! NOPE!!! False alarm!!! WAIT FOR IT!!!! It'd be funny if it wasn't 6am with my float tube in hand.
Finally get to launch and kick over to Woody's for no love. Water temp is 65 and went to 68 for a high on the surface. I'm metering nothing, seeing no signs, so I start kicking towards Trout Island. I'm thinking the pressure from the last two days have pushed them deeper or away. Start to meter a few fish, but no bites. See a few trollers catching, so feeling good about the choice.
As I'm kicking by I see a friendly face and say hello to Omar (2quikmotors). He's already got one. I see Big Daddy landing fish, but he's too far away.
I get heading toward the red cliffs are am reading fish all up and down the water table. There from 8 feet down to the bottom, which was 45 feet. I am throwing everything I can thing of and getting nothing. Lures, jigs, crawlers, bite, this color, that color. NOTHING!! Boats are trolling by are getting them like it's a frickin line of trout down there, yelling, "Take me!!! Please take me!!". My buddy and his friends come by, and by luck the score is tied at zero all. Then I see John reeling one in. Now the pressure is on. Keep tossin' and switchin out. NOTHING!!
Fish me just fear me.
Needless to say, I'm getting a little discouraged. I make it to the red cliff area and land to stretch and rest the legs.
I kick out from shore and am just looking at my choices of what to put on the end of the line. I just go, f#%& it and just decide to throw a power-mouse on again. Didn't work earlier, but I'm planning on just leaning back and going on a "trolling tour". Get a good-paced kick stroke going to get the mice to dance as much as possible. I put different colors on both poles and plan to kick to the end of the flat, then up to and around trout island, ending back at camp. Easy. I've done this route many times and have done very well. The best laid plans.
I cover both power-mice with the "secret sauce" that I convinced my waterboarding victums to release to me.
I let out some line, check over the shoulder to set a course, give 5-7 good kicks to get moving and BAM!!!
FISH ON!!! Awesome! It's only 10:30 and I'm landing my first fish. It's a nice 3.6 lbs. Set up the rig again and cover the area for at least another 20 minutes. Decide to head towards the the flats. Sun comes out from behind some high clouds and it's just beautiful. This is THE reason that I come to Irvine. Even when your not catching a fish, the views are the best. Not much concrete on those hills.
Get all the way to the back for nada and stop for a lunch break. I'm trying to get to the shore, but the winds really started to pick up and fighting me. If you ever want to know the direction of the wind, just watch which way I'm heading. It's always blowing the opposite direction!!! I feel like I kick into a headwind all day long. lol
I land, set up the rods for shore fishing and start eating lunch, watching trolling boats catching the entire time.
I rest in the sunshine.
I finish up lunch, pack out everything in the cooler and start to head towards Trout Island. I get about 15 feet off shore and the winds kick up big time. The sky turns to nasty looking storm clouds. I'm kicking for ever and getting no where. The winds then really kick up are now I'm losing ground and getting closer to the opposite shore than where I need to get. My lines are just getting all twisted up, so I just leave one out.
It literally took me from 12:40, when I left the shore to where I landed at 2:30! I was kicking with everything I had and still losing ground. My leg and hip are just screamin'. This is not the forecast 6-9 mph winds. this is whitecaps forming and the Gilligan's Island theme song starts to play in the back of my mind. My plan of circling the Island became a struggle not to get forced to the other shoreline, dashed on the rocks. I'm like, any minute now my friends, who always got my back will come by in there pontoon and I'll hitch a ride.
NOT!!!! Bastards are back at camp eating Tri-tip sandwiches and chips!!
I barely made it to the launch ramp behind Trout Island. I get to the ramp and people are like, you look tired. Really? Exhaustion would be a better word. I just stood there for a couple of minutes sucking air, thanking God they haven't figured out how to tax us for it.
Now the "revised plan" was to go up and over Trout Island, re-launch by the rental boat dock and kick to camp. The best laid plans. I grab the tube and start heading up the launch ramp. I make it to the parking lot area and just have to put it down. I'm done. The hip and leg are starting to really sing. Not going to be able to tube to camp. I'm going to have to try to carry the tube there. This will not be fun. Right then some guy comes down from the upper parked car area and has the "gear cart".
You look tired, he says. I smile. All the energy I could muster at the momment.
He offers me a ride, but only has a small car thats already full. Thanks, but I ain't doing that to his car. We joke about my "brown trout" (dirt covered) and I get the cart from him. An angel is shining armor, or would that be flashing lures? I'm planning on using it to get the tube to camp, then return it. I just needed the carrying capacity.
I see Maverick on his boat, going for bass. Say hello and keep going. Did you see the pic of him on Irvine's webpage? Way to go Mav!!! Nice fish!!!
I'm hobling along the dirt road bridge and there's Jerry the security gurad waiting. I'm like, Damn!!! I'm "grand thief carting" this cart and caught "red carted"!!!!!! He sees I'm struggling and is like, won't catch anything trolling like that. I tell him my plan and is like, no way, the guys will just pick it up later. I'm all thank you. Wasn't looking forward to the return trip.
Got back and ended up having the biggest fish in our little group and took the pool. Nice. I saw lots of people with full stringer with very big fish on them. Many stories of break offs and big hits. The fishing is going to be good this season.
All this for one fish and I'm counting the mintues till next weekend.
Thanks for reading.
Tick Tock.
Discover that our camping neighbors are Johnny, Dusty, and One-Leg. These guys KILLED it on Saturday. Well over 15trout, all big. Trolling. They were sucessful into talking some of our group to "experiencing the joy of cleaning the trout that was donated to you"!!!! LOL Always nice having people camped next to you that are friends.
Had a few beers and my buddy got his smoker going.
Little shad schools are all over the shoreline running from what looked like little bass. Great entertainment all night long. Had some dinner and crashed out at about 10-ish. Wanted to be well rested for the opener. I knew it was going to be a long day. Little did I know.
Woke to the alarm at 4:20 and started setting up the float tube. Weather was cool, no fog on water, few clouds, very slight breeze. Perfect! When the tackle shop opened up, headed in that direction to grab the World's Famous Breakfast Burrito!! What no Tapaito!!! What's this world coming to?? lol
Went back to camp and geared up for the tubin. Doned the waders and head lamp. Didn't want to get run over by a boater. Standing like a runner on blocks, watching the patrol guy, I wait for the signal. There it is!!!!! NOPE!!! False alarm!!! WAIT FOR IT!!!! It'd be funny if it wasn't 6am with my float tube in hand.
Finally get to launch and kick over to Woody's for no love. Water temp is 65 and went to 68 for a high on the surface. I'm metering nothing, seeing no signs, so I start kicking towards Trout Island. I'm thinking the pressure from the last two days have pushed them deeper or away. Start to meter a few fish, but no bites. See a few trollers catching, so feeling good about the choice.
As I'm kicking by I see a friendly face and say hello to Omar (2quikmotors). He's already got one. I see Big Daddy landing fish, but he's too far away.
I get heading toward the red cliffs are am reading fish all up and down the water table. There from 8 feet down to the bottom, which was 45 feet. I am throwing everything I can thing of and getting nothing. Lures, jigs, crawlers, bite, this color, that color. NOTHING!! Boats are trolling by are getting them like it's a frickin line of trout down there, yelling, "Take me!!! Please take me!!". My buddy and his friends come by, and by luck the score is tied at zero all. Then I see John reeling one in. Now the pressure is on. Keep tossin' and switchin out. NOTHING!!
Fish me just fear me.
Needless to say, I'm getting a little discouraged. I make it to the red cliff area and land to stretch and rest the legs.
I kick out from shore and am just looking at my choices of what to put on the end of the line. I just go, f#%& it and just decide to throw a power-mouse on again. Didn't work earlier, but I'm planning on just leaning back and going on a "trolling tour". Get a good-paced kick stroke going to get the mice to dance as much as possible. I put different colors on both poles and plan to kick to the end of the flat, then up to and around trout island, ending back at camp. Easy. I've done this route many times and have done very well. The best laid plans.
I cover both power-mice with the "secret sauce" that I convinced my waterboarding victums to release to me.
I let out some line, check over the shoulder to set a course, give 5-7 good kicks to get moving and BAM!!!
FISH ON!!! Awesome! It's only 10:30 and I'm landing my first fish. It's a nice 3.6 lbs. Set up the rig again and cover the area for at least another 20 minutes. Decide to head towards the the flats. Sun comes out from behind some high clouds and it's just beautiful. This is THE reason that I come to Irvine. Even when your not catching a fish, the views are the best. Not much concrete on those hills.
Get all the way to the back for nada and stop for a lunch break. I'm trying to get to the shore, but the winds really started to pick up and fighting me. If you ever want to know the direction of the wind, just watch which way I'm heading. It's always blowing the opposite direction!!! I feel like I kick into a headwind all day long. lol
I land, set up the rods for shore fishing and start eating lunch, watching trolling boats catching the entire time.
I rest in the sunshine.
I finish up lunch, pack out everything in the cooler and start to head towards Trout Island. I get about 15 feet off shore and the winds kick up big time. The sky turns to nasty looking storm clouds. I'm kicking for ever and getting no where. The winds then really kick up are now I'm losing ground and getting closer to the opposite shore than where I need to get. My lines are just getting all twisted up, so I just leave one out.
It literally took me from 12:40, when I left the shore to where I landed at 2:30! I was kicking with everything I had and still losing ground. My leg and hip are just screamin'. This is not the forecast 6-9 mph winds. this is whitecaps forming and the Gilligan's Island theme song starts to play in the back of my mind. My plan of circling the Island became a struggle not to get forced to the other shoreline, dashed on the rocks. I'm like, any minute now my friends, who always got my back will come by in there pontoon and I'll hitch a ride.
NOT!!!! Bastards are back at camp eating Tri-tip sandwiches and chips!!
I barely made it to the launch ramp behind Trout Island. I get to the ramp and people are like, you look tired. Really? Exhaustion would be a better word. I just stood there for a couple of minutes sucking air, thanking God they haven't figured out how to tax us for it.
Now the "revised plan" was to go up and over Trout Island, re-launch by the rental boat dock and kick to camp. The best laid plans. I grab the tube and start heading up the launch ramp. I make it to the parking lot area and just have to put it down. I'm done. The hip and leg are starting to really sing. Not going to be able to tube to camp. I'm going to have to try to carry the tube there. This will not be fun. Right then some guy comes down from the upper parked car area and has the "gear cart".
You look tired, he says. I smile. All the energy I could muster at the momment.
He offers me a ride, but only has a small car thats already full. Thanks, but I ain't doing that to his car. We joke about my "brown trout" (dirt covered) and I get the cart from him. An angel is shining armor, or would that be flashing lures? I'm planning on using it to get the tube to camp, then return it. I just needed the carrying capacity.
I see Maverick on his boat, going for bass. Say hello and keep going. Did you see the pic of him on Irvine's webpage? Way to go Mav!!! Nice fish!!!
I'm hobling along the dirt road bridge and there's Jerry the security gurad waiting. I'm like, Damn!!! I'm "grand thief carting" this cart and caught "red carted"!!!!!! He sees I'm struggling and is like, won't catch anything trolling like that. I tell him my plan and is like, no way, the guys will just pick it up later. I'm all thank you. Wasn't looking forward to the return trip.
Got back and ended up having the biggest fish in our little group and took the pool. Nice. I saw lots of people with full stringer with very big fish on them. Many stories of break offs and big hits. The fishing is going to be good this season.
All this for one fish and I'm counting the mintues till next weekend.
Thanks for reading.
Tick Tock.